MY SKIN

"I'm coming, I'm coming" Rhys shouted at the door. Someone was banging impatiently and it was beginning to get annoying. "Jeeze hold your horses will ya?" He opened the door and a fist appeared out of no where hitting him straight in the nose. "FUCK!" Rhys screeched clutching his nose as he suddenly got pinned to the wall.

"Rhys Williams, who the fuck do you, think you are?"

Rhys blinked several times. There stood over him, breathing down his neck and eyes filled with icy fury was Jack Harkness Captain of the football team. The charming, handsome man that Rhys had been jealous of for a very long time because he knew Gwen adored him. Now he was plain terrified of him.

"Me? What about you, charging in like a madman?" Rhys squawked.

"Do you think Gwen will come back if you threaten me?" Jack snarled. "That she would love you if you killed Carys? That she would do anything for you if you keep slipping roses and chocolates and notes into her locker?"

"M-m-mate I have no idea what you're on about" Rhys choked out. "I haven't seen Gwen since the summer; I got a new girlfriend now!"

Jack loosened his hold on him. "You have? Who?"

"Ruth! Her names Ruth! She's a secretary at the place I'm working at, very nice always giving me cakes" Rhys babbled fearfully.

Jack let him go and he slumped on floor. "Oh" Jack said quietly, running a hand through his hair. "Sorry mate, got the wrong person then"

"Really?" Rhys said sarcastically.

Jack pulled out a packet of tissues and passed them to Rhys. "You got a bloody nose" he said apologetically. "I really am sorry. Gwen's got some psycho on her case and since you were her ex-"

"I get the picture Harkness" Rhys mumbled as he pulled out a tissue and wrapped it round his nose. "I understand. Don't like it but I got it. Just go away please"

"Erm...ok" Jack walked to the front door when he whirled round. "Hey maybe you, me, Ruth and Gwen could go on a double date sometime, it'll be fu-"

"JUST GO!"

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack sighed heavily as he attempted to finish his homework. He wasn't really into it and he felt guilty for punching Rhys. The guy was all right if not a tad boring and a bit possessive but he definitely didn't deserve the punch if he wasn't the stalker. Jack also knew there was no way that Rhys was lying; the guy couldn't lie for toffee.

A small beep told him he got a new email, hoping it was Gwen confirming tonight's plans or Owen telling him what an idiot he was while giving homework help he opened it.

Good idea checking the ex out, however it's not him. It's me. Try and work it out all you like Captain but Gwen is mine and you will stay away from her. Sooner or later.

The email address didn't give any clue to who it was. In fact he couldn't recognise it either. He could ask Gwen but then it would scare her if she knew her secret admirer had gone to the extreme. Again. Deleting the email Jack swore to himself that he would find out who it was.

Even if it killed him.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

WOOSH, WOOSH, WOOSH, BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Wow it's gorgeous!" Gwen shouted over the loud exploding sounds of the fireworks. The sky was filled with emerald green, bright pink and sapphire blue with warm orange and glittering white appearing ever so often.

"Definitely" Ianto agreed holding up his flask. "Coffee?"

"Yes please" Gwen and Andy chorused together holding up their plastic cups.

"I have to say Ianto, you're a brilliant coffeemaker" Jack said causing Ianto to blush.

"T-t-thank you" Ianto murmured as he poured Gwen and Andy their coffee, adding Andy's milk and sugar in. "I enjoy coffee"

Owen raised his eyebrows but decided to not comment while the others laughed lightly causing Ianto to blush even more. The fireworks continued for another half hour and the group of friends were content sitting together watching them. When it was obvious it ended, Gwen pulled out a box of sparklers.

"They're for babies" Owen said crossing his arms.

"Then they're perfect for you" Gwen shot back as she shoved a sparkler in his hands.

Jack lit them up and Owen was very happy writing swearwords in the air while Ianto did his name, Andy drew pictures and Gwen and Jack wrote compliments to each other much to everyone's annoyance.

"Can't you two not flirt, for one night?" Andy complained as his bunny faded into thin air.

"Oi Bookworm, why aren't you doing anything?" Owen asked Tosh who sat there numbly holding the sparkler away from her. "You're not scared are you?"

Tosh shook her head. "Never played with them before" she whispered.

Her sparkler fizzed out and she dropped it. Owen sighed and took another one out; he lit it up and slipped it into Tosh's hand, his hand over hers firmly as he moved it up into the air. He slowly spelt out Tosh in wonky capitals.

"Tosh" she whispered. Rather surprised.

"It's your name, right?" Owen said rolling his eyes.

She nodded numbly, a small smile forming as the others grinned at her their eyes as bright as the fireworks before.

Tosh.

She was Tosh. Part of this group of friends.

She was no longer Toshiko. The lonely little girl with the books.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The phone was ringing in the empty flat. It was dark, clean and very spotless. No one was in and no one planned to be home for a while. The phone kept ringing. Then the answering machine kicked in.

Rich Japanese accented English filled the room.

"Hello this is the Sato home, no one is in right now but please honour us with a message and we'll try to return your call"

"Toshiko? It's Dr Smith, I'm calling on an important matter...i don't know if I should say this to the machine but you should know. Its Mary...she died about 45 minutes ago, heart attack. It was the fireworks they scared her and her heart was too weak...I'm so sorry Toshiko..."

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen was walking down her street alone. Normally she would have Jack as company but a family emergency had pulled him away. Ianto and Andy both had to be home at a certain time and Owen was too busy walking a very nervous Tosh home. It was dark and the street was quiet, no fireworks here.

A wind blew and she shivered, zipping up her jacket and wishing Ianto's coffee was there or even better Jack's arm so she could cuddle up to him.

She stiffened and stopped.

For a moment she thought she heard footsteps, shaking her head she carried on walking. Her pace a little faster than normal.

The footsteps sped up.

She walked faster and faster, practically running, her hands shaking as she shoved the key into the front door, throwing it open and slamming it shut behind her. She slumped against the door and panted heavily.

"Gwen? Is that you? Are you ok darling?" her mother called from upstairs.

"Just...just my imagination" Gwen murmured and she wrapped her arms round herself. "Yes Mum I'm fine" she called out.

It was just her imagination...right?

Back                         Home                              Torchwood Main Page                              Next